This book is an out come built upon manifold experiences of the author; her learning and teaching experience from incipient stages of the profession as a university teacher to teach Buddhist architecture to undergraduate students, innumerable field visits to Buddhist sites of the region of Gujarat for firsthand experience, understanding as well as for accumulation of Buddhist heritage data; and subsequently designing, developing and curating an exhibition on Buddhist heritage of Gujarat, "In Search of the Seer" which sculpted an opportunity to apprise Buddhist art, architecture and other forms of heritage by the production of thematic exhibition.

Publication in the field of Buddhist studies of Gujarat is scanty, except few excavation and exploration reports of rock-cut caves, stupas and museum catalogues. This plight draw our attention towards the need of bringing out multidisciplinary publication in the field of Buddhist studies and heritage. As there was no attempt of multidisciplinary research undertook yet in this region as mentioned above, the author a initiated a multidisciplinary research project in Buddhist studies in the region of Gujarat keeping the background work of field visits and literature survey from 2009-2011 as the basis. The research project, The Facets of Buddhism in Gujarat from Past to Present is aimed for five years from 2014-2019. At this juncture, it was felt to bring out the present book based on the first phase of research work as a prologue to answer the aforesaid issues.

The book, "Buddhist Heritage Of Gujarat : Representation, Preservation and Promotion", is estimating and discusses various aspects of Buddhist heritage from the region of Gujarat, the built heritage, art, their state of preservation and need of attention towards their protection and preservation, museumisation of sacred heritage and their promotion through tourism. The book would be of great use to students of cultural heritage studies, heritage and tourism managers and museum professionals.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Ambika Bipin Patel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Museology, Faculty of Fine Arts, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat, India. She has completed PhD in Archaeology.